人，需要有希望，

Everyone needs to have hopes.

但更需要將希望變成為事實；

However, it is more important for one to fulfill one’s hopes and turn them into facts.

不然，那無異是躲在象牙塔裡做夢的人，

Otherwise, those hopes will be just like the dreams of someone who lives only in an ivory tower.

永遠只是個希望而已！

They will always be just hopes.

船的航行，

If one wishes to replace the oars with some mechanical devices

如果以機器代替划槳，

In sailing a boat,

必須具備購得機器的條件；

One needs to be equipped with enough money to purchase those mechanical devices.

否則，便只有勤勞不歇地運用自己的一雙手了！

Otherwise, one would have no choice but to diligently use one’s own hands to power the boat.

可惜，世人的流弊，

It is a pity that the most common practice of people in the world

卻往往吝於「手」的利用，

Is too reluctant to make use of their own hands.

一味地奢望於「等有了錢」的時刻；

They would rather entirely rely on “waiting for the moment of becoming rich” to come.

結果，畢生的大好時光，

Consequently, most of the useful times in their lives

就這樣消耗在「等」的虛妄之中！

Are wasted in the emptiness of “waiting.”

如果說「道」像漫長的臺階，

If the “Way” of Buddhism is compared to a very lengthy set of stairs,

那麼「修行」將是耐心地，

Then “Practicing Buddhism” is to patiently

一步一步往上爬的工作。

Climb the stairs step by step.